Tunneling-machine.



PATENTED DBG. 4, 1906.

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TUNNELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16,1905.

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' PATENTED DEC. 4, 1906.

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A TU'NNELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15. 1905.

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'APPLICATION FILED J-UNE 15.1906.

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1 No. 837,552. PATENTB 1355.4, 1905.

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TUNNELING MACHINE. APPLIoATIoN .FILED JUNE 15,1905.

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PATENTBD DEG. 4, 1906.

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PATENTED DEC. 4, 19.06.

J'. E. BNN'IS.. TUNNELIN'G MACHINE.

APPLICATION EILED JUNE 15,1905.

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ATTOHNEVJ comprehends generally the reduction of the l JOHN E. ENNIS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TUNNELlNe-MACHINE. i

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 4, 1906.

Application led June 15.1905- Serial No. 265,312.

T0 all whom, 1li; muy concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. ENNIs, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and Improved Tunneling-Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of boring or tunneling machines that dig a circular opening and in which the digging mechanism is coperatively connected with a supporting means that carries a feed mechanism adapted under proper manipulation or adjustment to carry the machinery as a new portion of the tunnel is being cut and the previously-cut portion is lined up.

In its more speciiic nature my present invention seeks to improve the construction of tunneling-machine disclosed in my Patent No. 690,137, dated December 31, 1901, and

operating parts, a more compact correlation thereof whereby the mechanism is rendered the more accessible, and in which an improved provision is made for the direction of the machine, whereby it can be perfectly accomplished without the use of the rear or supplemental portion required in my patented machine referred to.`

To make the purpose of my present invention and the distinctive features over my former machine the more readily apparent, it should be stated that while the means disclosed in my patented machine for moving the machine forward-that is, by pulling all the small rails and then resting the actuating mechanism against the small rails to feed the diggeroperating mechanism forward-in practice have been found generally effective, yet they fail to fully meet the desired requirements, since after a time the rollers on which the mechanism moves become rusted solid to their axes, and hence an excessive amount of power has been found necessary to operate the machine.

One of the objects of my present invention is to overcome the objection noted, and for such purpose I have designed an improved way of supporting the machine on the rails or shield in such manner that the friction is reduced to the minimum and in which the pushing forward of the machine, using the rails as a resting-point, which was accomplished in the patented machine by numerous screw-nuts, sprocket-wheels, clutches,1

idler-sheaves, gears, and clutch-Shifters, in my present construction has been reduced to one feed-screw and nut, the screw acting as a gear revolving on rollers as the masterwheel, and the nut being in the nature of a ring that sets against all the rails the full size of the machine.

In my present construction the lead of the screw is large enough to admit of rollers between the thread of the screw and the ringnut, thereby making the screw substantially antifriction on the side that is to do the heavy work, and this reduces the power required for operating proportionately to the efficiency of the screw to the power applied.

In my present construction of tunnelingmachine the means for pulling the small rails are such that several hundred less pieces are required than is included in the like operating means in my patented machine.

Another feature of my present invention `lies in the construction of the casing-ring that carries the master-wheel, the same being adjustably mounted and provided with two sets of adjusting-screws, one set screwing into the main frame and the other set pressing it away from the same, so the masterwheel, with the digging apparatus, can be set to dig up or down the same direction that the machine is pulling.

Again, in my present form of machine the drive-gearing is supported from above instead of on the floor, in such manner as to allow the conveyer to be set lower and a wider upper space to allow more distance for the buckets to empty onto the conveyer.

I/Vith the above objects in view my present invention in its subordinate features consists in certain details of mechanism and peculiar combination of parts, all of which will be hereinafter fully explained, pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical elevation of my improved tunneling mechanism, showing the same in a tunnel cut or opening, parts being in section to the better illustrate the coperative arrangement of the mechanism, the line of section being taken substantially on the line l l on Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the tunnel, showing the mechanism therein in end elevation, the several controlling-levers being shown positioned in full and dotted lines for effecting the adjustments of the several submechanisms controlled IOC' ` ter referred to.

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ward with respect to the rail-shield and the Shield-actuating lever swung to its maximum rearward position and ready to move the shield-rails forward when actuated by the cam on the master-wheel, said section being taken practically on the line 5 5 of Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the parts shown in Fig. 5 on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a face view. Fig. 8 is a plan view. Figs. 9 and 10 are cross-sections on lines 9 9 and 10 10 on Fig. 7 of the slide-rail hereinaf- Fig. 1-1 is a perspective view of the special rail-lever that coacts with the slide-rail. Figs. 12, 12a, 12b, and 12C are respectively side, top, and end views of the sliding p awl-carrying block connected to the special rail-lever. Fig. 13 is a detail view of the adjustable connection that joins the pawl-carrying block and the special rail-le Fig. 14 is a detail view of the slidingpawlblock. Fig. 15 is an end elevation,

. partly in vertical section, of the screw-gear `co6perates with the said actuating-screw geartubular eXtensible socket hereinafter referred to'. V4"() '4 Aand the bearings therefor. plan view of the same. Avation ofnone of the cage-sections for the Screw-thrust and gear members.

that moves the machine forward Fig. 16 is a similar view of the screw-gear annulus that Fig. 17 is a longitudinal section of the Figs. 18 and 13a are respectively a side elevation and a plan view of one section of the cages that support the antifriction-rollers that lkeep in proper relation the rollers of the A' master-wheel on the screw-gear-wheel supports. Fig. 19 is a transverse section thereof with one of the rollers in position. Fig. 20 is a detail'side view of the rail-bearing members Fig. 21 is a Fig. 22 is a side elerollers that engage the screw-threads on the Fig. 23 is a vertical section of the brake-wheel G. Fig. 24 is a detail horizontal section of the means for shifting the slide members or support 26, taken practically on the line 24 24 on Fig. 6. Fig. 25 is a cross-section of said parts on the line 25 25 on Fig. 24. Fig. 26 is a vertical section of the brakeewheel clutch H, and Fig. 27 is a side detail view thereof. Fig. 28 is a detail section on the line A A on Fig. 2 through the bearing, shaft, and eccentric of levers E, B, and D and friction-clutch that operate the cutting devices. Fig. 29 is a detail section on the line B B on Fig. 1. Fig. 30 is a detail section on the lines M M on Fig. 29 and Fig. 2.

Fig. 31 is a section on lines E E of Fig. 1. Fig. 32 is a section on lines D D on Fig. l, and Fig. 33 is a section on lines C C of Fig. 1.

In my present construction of tunnelingmachine the shield or supporting-frame is ar-' ranged substantially like the shield shown in my patent referred to, except in the present arrangement each shield-section is composed of nine small rails, operated between a series of tie-rails that connect the rail-guides, and the master-wheel is actuated to make twelve revolutions to operate the digging mechanism from the center to the circumference, and vice versa, and nine of the said revolutions is required to pull the nine small rails forward successively, one of the remaining revolutions of the master-wheel being utilized for pulling the machine and one revolution to draw the screw-thrust ring hereinafter described away from the small rails.

The shield consists of a series of T beams or rails 42, arranged equidistantly apart, as best shown kin Fig. 2, and the said rails are slidably mounted inthe radiallyeslotted guide-rings a 0,2, that form a part of the front and back base-rings b, on which the internal parts are mounted and which are rigidly joined by a series of tie-rails 43, one of which is located between each set of slide or Creeper rails 42.

To make the construction and operation of' my present invention clear, l shall now describe several parts, beginning at the entrant end thereofuthat is, the end where the power is applied-and follow so far as possible the operative sequence -of the different partsto the delivery or dirt-receiving end of the ma chine. l

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1 and 2,

the levers A, B, C, D, and E control the entire operating of the machine. X designates the drive-cable. That part coming from the power-house passes over a guide-sheave C, disposed in the longitudinal plane of the tunnel, thence over a pair of sheaves D D2, disposed at right angles to the sheave IOO C and located near the top of the shield and one at each side of the vertical aXis of the tunnel, over which the cable X makes four laps, (see Fig. 1,) and from whence the cable passes down over a guidesheave C2, disposed opposite the sheave C', from which the cable X passes back to power-plant. The sheaves C C2 are mounted in bracket-bearings c c2, secured to the back base-ring b, and each of the sheaves D D2 is mounted on sleeves d d2, having gears E E that mesh With the larger gears F F, keyed to shafts G GX, suitably supported on the back rest t, below the axes of the wheels D D.

Each shaft GrX carries a pinion HX, and the pi'nions HX HX mesh with the centrally-disposed main drive-gear O, keyed on the main drive sleeve or shaft 69, upon which arev loosely mounted the brake-band gears G and H, (best shown in Fig. 3 byreference to which it will be also seen that on the said sleeveshaft 69, in advance of the brake-band gears G and H, is loosely mounted a large drivepinion 8, and at the rear or outer' end is a drive-gear 67, fixedly mounted on a shaft 62 within the sleeve-shaft 69.

The several gears just referred to are put in operation by the several levers shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the full-line position of which designates their adjustment to allow every part of the machine at a stand except the main shaft sheaves and pinions that drive the same, the several levers referred to performing the work for which they are provided only when shifted to their dotted positions. Such adjustments I will new explain.

The lever A, when pulled to the position shown in dotted lines on Fig. 1, sets a clutch 35, slidably mounted on the outer end of sleeve 69 into engagement with a drive-gear J, loosely mounted on sleeve 69, which meshes with the internal gear-rim of the masterwhe-el M lV, on which the digger mechanism is mounted, and which includes a screw-operating gear-annulus 56, actuated by a pinion 57, keyed to the front end of the driveshaft 62, rotatable within the sleeve-shaft 69, presently again referred to.

The digging mechanism (designated generally by K in my present invention) is made to take a spiral cut from the center to the circumference and from the circumference to the center by setting the controlling-lever C to the position indicated by dotted lines shown on Fig. 1, one position, @/,being for setting the digger devices to cut from the center to the circumference and the other, y,for cutting from the circumference to the center. This is performed in the first instance by setting a clutch M, keyed by a feather 10a to a short shaft L10,1ongitudinally mounted in the rear end of the machine above the shafts 69-62 and adapted to engage with a clutchface n on a pinion N, (see Fig. 3,) loosely mounted on the said shaft 40 and held in mesh with the gear 67, iixedly held on the main sleeve-shaft 69, whereby to impart revolution to shaft 40 and take motion to the gear 66 on said shaft 40, held in mesh with a pinion 65, keyed to shaft 62 to drive the same, and through pinion 57 on the front end of said shaft 62 to impart motion to the driveannulus 56 (which is also provided with external gears 56a) and to cause the same to revolve in the same direction of shaft 62, the parts being correlatively so arranged and combined to cause the annulus 56 to make two revolutions to one revolution of the master-wheel .M XV, which carries the said annulus 56.

The external teeth 56L ofthe gear 56 mesl with a pinion 1:, keyed to the yoke-shaft 32, suitably mounted in bearings that form part circumference to center in twelve revolutions of the master-wheel.

Now in setting the lever B to an opposite dotted position from that before referred to it will shift clutch M so it coacts with a clutchface 41, which is a fixed part of the stationary hanger or frame portion b5, that has bearings for the shaft 40 and the front end of the shaft 69. The said adjustment of the clutch M will hold shaft 40 from revolving and likewise hold the train of gears controlled thereby and cause the internal and external toothed annulus 56 to stand still while the master-wheel carries the digger mechanism around to cause the gear a; t0 turn the screws of the screw-arm in the opposite direction, and thus actuate said digger mechanism to travel from the center to the circumference in twelve revolutions of the master-wheel M WV.

Vith the lever B in the position shown in full lines with the clutch M at central position, the gear-annulus 56 being much harder to turn than the small gears that drive it, said annulus will turn the small gears and follow the speed of the master-arm, and hence not turn the screws of the screw-arm that actuates the digger, and thus cause the digger to follow the same path until the lever B is shifted again to either of its dotted positions.

The digger devices, which are illustrated in detail in Figs. 1 and 17, are substantially like those shown in my patent referred to, and comprise generally the divergingly-disposed arms 14,pivotally connected at their inner ends to the bifureated bearings Zi* b4 on the front side of the master-wheel frame, which merge at their outer end into a casket 14, adapted to receive the digger-bit 14h.

The bit-carrying socket is swung to 0r from the center by the screw-arm before referred to, which comprises the tubular socket 22, pivotally connected to the bit-holder or socket-head 14, and having internal screwthreads 22a, with which engage the external screw-threads 23u on the tubular shank 23, which is also formed with internal screwthreads 23b to receive the threaded end 24C2l of the bar 24,that terminates in a yoke 24C with the universal joint 32a, as shown.

By reason of the peculiar construction of the digger-bit-holding means and the actuating mechanism coperatively connected therewith the annulus 56 is revolved twice as fast as the master-wheel, thereby determining the direction of the pinion which in the practical construction of my machine lOO IIO

revolves twelve thousand nine hundred and twenty-two times as rapidly as the masterwheel when the annulus 56 is revolving twice as fast, and the revolution of the pinion or gear Q: revolves yoke-shaft 32, which causes the feed-screw 24a on the rod 24 to gradually swing out the bit or shovel carrier as it is being swung around in a circle with the masterwheel, at the same time causing the digger bit or shovel to travel spirally inward or outward, according to the set of the lever B.

Having now described the general construction of the machine and particularly the means for actuating the digger mechanism, I shall now. describe the means for moving the machine forward, which forms one of the main essentials of my invention.

37 designates what I term the screwgear, and the same is shown in detail in Figs. 15 and 16 and consists of an annular rim of a diameter nearly that of the back-rest l). Cn the external face it has a left-hand screwthread 37a, the webs of which are spaced apart sufficiently to allow for the engagement therewith of the internal screw-thread 38a, formed on the screw-thrust member 38, which is an annulus that encircles the screwgear 8,7 and for the reception of antifrictionrollers 15 and 16, one set 15 of which is arrangedl to form antifriction-bearings between the periphery of member 37 and the internal face of the member 38, while the other set 16 is arranged at right angles to the rollers 15 between the internal screw-webs 38a and the external screw-webs 37, said rollers 15 and 16 serving to reduce the friction between the working faces of the members 37 and 38 to the minimum, and the rollers 15 and 16 are mounted in cages 15a and 16a, one of which is shown in detail in Fig. 18, their working positions being shown in Fig. 1.

The screw-gear 37 has a wide internal gearrim 37C, which engages a pinion 9, loosely mounted on a short stationary shaft 9a, held rigidly journaled in a bracket-bearing 90, that forms a part of the front end of a bearingbracket of a hanger suspended from'the backrest t, and the said pinion 9 meshes with and receives motion from gear 8 and imparts motion to the gear 87, and this operation is effectedV at predetermined times by the proper adjustment of levers C and D, which is done as follows: Lever C coperates with the brake-band gears G and H by shifting the gear 8 to cause its clutch-face 8at to engage the opposing clutch-face h of the brakeband H, (see Fig. 3,) which is done when the lever C is at the dotted position on Fig. 1. After the parts are thus adjusted by lever C lever D is pulled over to the dotted line (see Fig. 2) to hold the brake-band gear G from turning, and when the said brake member Cr is thus fixedly held the brake member H will revolve in the same direction that drive-gear O does, but at half its speed, and the said,`

gear H being now clutched with pinion 8 will cause the same to revolve the intermediate pinion 9, which engages with the internal gear-rim of the screw-gear 37, the threads 37a in the outside engaging the internal threads of the screw-thrust ring-flange 38c will be pressed against the small rail-dogs Z,

and by reason of the threaded arrangement of the members 37 and 38 push the machine forward the distance the operator may deem proper for the cut on the material engaged. The machine thus set, the lever D is pulled back to the position shown in full lines, and lever C is pulled back to the opposite dottedposition, (see Fig. 1,) which puts the pinion 8 and brake-gear G into a clutched engagement by reason of the clutch end 12 on pinion 8 now engaging the clutch-teeth g on the front end of the hub g of gear G. The lever E is then manipulated to hold brakeband H at a standstill, which permits the brake G to now revolve in the opposite direction to drive gear C and at the same speed the gear O travels, and being now clutched to pinion 8 will cause the same to revolve the intermediate pinion 9, which pinion then imparts motion to the screw-gear 37 in a direction to draw the screw-thrust ring 38 away from the rail-dogs Z, and thereby allow small rails to be again drawn forward in the manner presently explained.

As before stated, it requires twelve revolutions of the master-wheel to operate the digging mechanism from center to the circumference. Nine of these revolutions are also utilized for moving the small shield-rails forward, and this is accomplished by the mechanisms best shown in Figs 12a, 12b, 12C, and Figs.- 5, 6, and 7 by reference to which it will be noticed that the front rest b includes an annular rim 58, which is rigidly bolted to the front-rest-frame b and includes a horizontal portion 58a, that forms a bearing for the antifriction-rollers 1 and 2, mounted in cages 1at and 2a, located between the end flanges 58D and 58C of the member 58 and a central peripheral rim m on the master-wheel M W.

On the rear face the rim 58 has an annular T-shaped groove 59, in which is slidably tted an annular supporting-plate 26, from which project a series of rail-shifting levers Y, one for each section of rails 42 42 and all constructed alike except one, Y', which has a special construction presently explained.

Each lever Y is fulcrumed in a bifurcated bracket 26a, projected from the slide-plate 26, and includes a pusher portion 26h, having an adjustable heel-piece to shorten or lengthen the fulcrum of the lever and an inwardlyextending arm having a roller-head 26d, and all the roller-heads 26d are arranged to ride in an annular groove 50 in a cam-ring 50a, bolted to the master-wheel and having a cam portion 5()b adapted to successively engage the heads 26d of the series of levers and IOO 'EIO

swing the said heads outwardly in the direction indicated by arrow on Fig. 5, whereby to cause the heel-pieces 26b to engage the toe projections z' on the rails 42 to force the said rails forward one at a time, it being understood that in each complete revolution of the master-wheel nine rails in each of the eleven sections are moved forward, one in each set of rails, causing the outer shield or support to creep forward in sections during the operation of digging.

In operation the cam carried by the master-wheel engages the several rail-levers and moves the rails forward until the lever-heads reach the center of the cam, from whence the heads are led back into the guide circle or groove. The lever Yl has a special function in addition to actuating the rails, it having a pair of slide-blocks S S, connected to the led end thereof, and by means of the rods T having universal-joint connections with the levers and the blocks, as clearly shown in Fig. 6.

Eech slide-block S is provided with aratchetpawl U, adapted to engage the teeth V in a segmental rail on which the blocks slide. The slide-rail has on each side of the lever Y' when it stands in the center thereof one tooth for every rail in one section of the shield plus one extra tooth on each side, the purpose of such extra teeth being to allow for two revolutions of the master-wheel when the rail-levers do not engage the rails during the time the machine is being pushed forward, as hereinbefore mentioned.

l/Vhen the special lever Y', which is engaged by the cam and moves one rail forward in each revolution, the same as do the levers Y, reaches the center of the cam, the connecting-rods are at an angle, which shortens the distance between the sliding blocks S and the center of the lever Y', and hence one of the pawls in the slide-blocks engages the teeth in the rail V, and as the master-wheel cam forces the head of the lever Y' inward again to the guide-circle it moves the rail-lever support 26 with allthe raildevers a distance sufficient to be in alinement with the next rail in each set, such operation being effected at every complete revolution of the master-wheel until the last one of the rails in each set of rails has been moved, after which the supporting member that carries the several levers Y Y' is moved one step farther, since there is one extra tooth in the rail V at each end, which allows the arm to move in the space beyond the last rail, while the annulus, Fig. 16, is set against the rails to pull the machine forward. After the operation just explained is finished the pawl U, that forced the support 26 forward step by step, is automatically lifted out of engagementwith the teeth as the plate fw, that cooperates therewith, (see Fig. 25,) slidably mounted in the block S, that carries the pawl, comes into contact with a stop-pin 2G, carried by the member 26 centrally thereof, which causes the plate w to move under .the pawl and lift it out of the teeth and against the tension of a spring u. (See Fig. 24.) It should be stated that as one pawl U is thus tripped by the sliding of its coacting plate w the other pawl U as it reaches the outer end of the opposite set of teeth in the plate V has its coacting slide-plate moved into engagement with another stop-pin z5, (one of which is at each end of the plate V,) which causes the said plate w to slide back to allow the spring u of the other pawl U to move said pawl into position to come into action to move the support 26 in the opposite direction to that in which it had just traveled.

The machine is set to work in any direction desired in the following manner: As the bolts P' P' bind the outside roller-bearing to the frame of the machine and the bolts O' are threaded into the flange 58b of the member 5S and extended to bear against the adjacent face of the frame-rest b', (see Fig. 4,) it follows that by loosening the bolts P' P' the digging mechanism can be set to work in the direction that the frame hasbeen separated most by the manipulation of the screws O' P', and by screwing the pusher on the rail-levers Y Y' nearer the fulcrum of said levers the slide movement of the rails on that side is made proportionately to the sweep or thrust of the levers Y, thus providing a simple but effective means for increasing or decreasing the forward thrust of the rails and imparting, as it were, differential slide movements to the entire shield of rails and for sliding one portion farther forward than the others to cause the entire machine to take an upward, downward, or sidewise direction on short curves.

To maintain a proper bearing between the supporting mechanism and the rails during the operation of shifting the rails, and also to prevent binding of the several parts under the ordinary adjustments thereof, rail-bearing members 4 are provided at each end of the rails pivotally secured to the rails and having the inner ends pivotally mounted in sockets 4fL in the end-rest frames b b' and formed with stud-rests 4b, and the said bear` ing members have segmental bearing-faces 4C, as clearly shown in Figs. 2l and 22.

The conveyer mechanism in my present case may be of any approved construction and, as shown herein, does not materially differ from the form of conveyer mechanism shown in my patent referred to. The chute 50 is secured at the entrant end of the conveyer-frame supported by hangers 5l and 51'L on the front and near rest-frame l) h', and the said chute 50 receives the dirt from the buckets L L, mounted on the digger-frame in a suitable manner. The hanger 51 (see Fig. l) also serves as a universal joint or drive-shaft, and for such purpose it is swiv- TOO IIO

elly connected at its upper end of the-coupling 5ld on a short shaft 51h, that carries a gear 51C, which meshes with and receives motion from the drive-gear O. The lower end of the hanger-shaft 5l connects with a coupling member 51e on a shaft mounted on the conveyer-frame and carrying a bevel-pinion 51f, that meshes with a pinion 5ll on the cross-shaft 5lg of the conveyer devices, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The hanger 51a, that supports the front end of the conveyer, is made fast to the bearing-bracket of the gearing-sustaining frame, as shown, and in the practical application of my machine the rear end of the conveyer is suitably supported on a carriage provided in the tunnel for the car-tracks, in whichv direction the conveyer in practice extends about forty feet.

55 designates the endless chain of buckets that receive the dirt from chute 50.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is believed the complete construction, operation, andv advantages of my present invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains.

One of the essential advantages of my Apresent invention is the simple, effective,

and conveniently-controlled means for directing the ycourse of the tunnel-cut, the manner in which the parts are assembled to reduce the frictional resistance to the minimum, the quick and positive manner for controlling the action of the digger-operating mechanism, and for feeding the digger mechanism for moving the same forward on the shield-rails without interfering with the work behind. v

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a tunneling-machine of the character described, a shieldfor sustaining the digger mechanism comprising a plurality of series of -rails, each rail 1n each series being held for longitudinal movement independent of the others, and an automatic means mounted on the shield for imparting longitudinal move- Ament to the shield-rails at predetermined a shield that surrounds the supporting-frame and carries it, a rotary-screw-thrust mechanmechanism 5 of a shield formed of a plurality 7 5 of series of slide-rails, a circular guide at each end of the machine for said rails, and a mechanism controlled by the rope-drive-actuated means for shifting the rails forward one at a time, said mechanism including devices for 8o regulating the thrust movement of each rail as set forth.

5. A tunneling-machine of the character described, in which is included a shield formed of a series of independently-movable rails, a means for imparting a thrust movement successively to the said rails, said means including adjusting devices for regulating the degree of the said thrust movements.

6. In a tunneling-machine of the character described, and inwhich is included a circular shield formed of a series of independently longitudinally movable rails; a means mounted within and on the shield forimparting 'a thrust movement successively to the rails, said means including an adjusting means for regulating the degree of said thrust movement, and a rope-drive connected with the said rail-actuating means as specified.

7. In a tunneling-machine as described, a supporting-frame, a digger -plow carried thereon 5 means for imparting v a circular sweep motion to the plow radially in' opposite spiral directions, said means including a master-wheel, a rope drive mechanism gearedwith said master-wheel, said mechanism including shiftable clutch means and reversing-gears, a stationary screw-thrust ring, and a screw-thrust annulus connected to the supporting-frame, adapted to be thrown into gear with the plow-actuating gearing, whereby to coact with the screw-thrust ring to giove the supporting-frame forward, as speci- 8. ln a tunneling-machine of the charactery described; in combination with the shieldrails, the supporting-frame mountedwithin and on said rails, the digger-actuating mechanism mounted on the supporting-frame, said mechanism including reversing-gears and clutch devices for shifting said gears; a rotary member having an external screw mounted on the supporting-frame and ha ving an internal gear-flange adapted to be thrown into connection with the digger-actuating gearing, and a fiXedly-held screw-thrust ICO member that coacts with the external screw on the rotary member, whereby when the said member is rotated the supporting-frame and all the mechanism mounted thereon is fed forward as set forth.

9. ln a tunneling-machine of the character described g the combination with the external shields, the external supporting-frame movable bodily within the shield, said frame carrying the digger mechanism and actuating devices therefor, of the swing-supports 4 pivotally mounted on the shields and having studs ab, and the slotted bracket members 11a on the supporting-frames with which the studs 4h engage substantially as shown and for the purposes described.

10. In a tunneling-machine of the character described, an external shield, movable in the direction of its length, an annular internal screw-feed, fixedly held on the shield, a supporting-frame that carries the digger and digger-operating means, mounted within the shield for longitudinal movement therein, a rotary rim forming a part of and movable with the supporting-frame, said rim having a gear connection with the actuating means and having a screw-annulus that coacts with the fiXedly-held screw-rim, all being arranged whereby when the annulus is rotated, it with the supporting-frame and the mechanism thereon is moved forward as set forth.

1l. In a tunneling-machine, in combination with the digging mechanism, the shield, an inwardly-projecting screw-annulus, said annulus being fixedly held against the shield from back thrust a supporting-frame for the digging mechanism, a second screw-annulus rotatably mounted on the said frame and having threads that engage the threads of the other annulus, clutch-gear mechanism coperatively connected with the digging mechanism adapted under its operative adjustment to move the rotary annulus whereby to cause it to feed forward, said rotary annulus being joined 'with the supporting-frame to drag it forward with it when motion is applied thereto as set forth.

12. In a tunneling-machine of the character described, the combination with the eX- ternal shield composed of a series of foruf'ardly-slidable rails, an internally-projecting annular left screw connected to the said shield held from backward movement, a supporting-frame within the shield and movable forwardly independent of the shield, digger mechanism and actuating devices therefor mounted on the frame, a rotary member connected to the supporting-frame having external screw-flanges that engage the left screw-flanges on the shield-engaged annulus, a clutch-gear mechanism cooperatively engaged with the digger-mechanism-actuating devices, for operating the rotary annulus, and

a second clutch-gear mechanism' connected with the digger-actuating devices for feeding the frame-rails after the frame has been shifted in that direction as set forth.

13. In a tunneling-machine of the character described, in combination with the shield formed of a plurality of series of longitudinal rails, a supporting-frame for the digger devices, and the actuating mechanism mounted thereon, said actuating mechanism including a master drive-wheel; of a series of pivoted levers, one for each series of rails, a cam on the master-wheel for actuating said levers, and means automatically controlled by the rocking movement of one of the said levers for automatically shifting all of the levers at predetermined times, whereby to set them to successively engage the several rails in each series, as set forth.

14. ln a tunneliiig-machine of the character described, the combination with the digging mechanism, a supporting-frame therefor and actuating devices for the said mechanism mounted on the frame, said devices including a master-gear; of a surrounding shield formed of a plurality of series of sliderails, a series of rocking levers one for each series of rails, an annular member on which all of the levers are fulcrumed, said member being mounted on the supporting-frame for a limited transverse reciprocation on the frame, a cam on the master-wheel for successively engaging the several levers, the latter being` arranged to engage the slide-rails and push them forward when rocked by the cam, and means controlled by the forward impulse of one of the levers to shift the lever- IOO carrying member for the purposes described.

15. In a machine of the character described, the combination with the shield., the front and the rear annular frame-sections, the ropedrive mechanism iiXedly mounted on the rear frame-section, a supplemental annular frame 58 tiltably mounted on the front frame-section, the digger mechanism including a master drive-gear rotatably mounted on the supplemental frame 58 and the clutchcontrolled reverse-gear mechanism mounted on the rear frame-section and cooperatively connected with the rope-drive mechanism and the master drive-wheel of the digging devices as set forth.

16. In a tunneling-machine of the character described, a series of rail-pusher levers pivotally mounted and having heel portions for engaging the rails, means for rocking the levers to impart a forward thrust to the rails and meanson the levers for regulating the length of the heel portions of the said levers as specified.

17. In a tunneling-inacliine of the character described, the combination with the supporting-frame, the digger mechanism, the actuating means therefor, the shield formed of a series of longitudinally-slidable rails; of a series of thrust-levers, a ring on which all the levers are pivotally mounted, said ring IIO being mounted on the supporting-frame for a last tooth of said racks, and a cam device on rotary reciprocal slide motion, a pair of opthe digger-actuating means for actuating the 1o positely-disposed racks on said ring, a pair of levers, as set forth.

opposite-disposed paWls link members that connect said paWls withl one of the levers and JOHN E' ENNIS adapted under the thrust swing of said lever Witnesses:

to engage With the racks7 a trip for releasing C. E. EDWARDS,

said paWls from racks When they reach the ADRIEN CLARE. 

